Punching apparatus with work orienting means



R. STEFANO ETAL 3,246,554

PUNCHING APPARATUS WITH WORK ORIENTING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 19, 1966 Filed March 2, 1964 INVENTORS ROCCO L. STEFANO RALPH L. WEISBECK BY JOSEPH W. SHINGLER ATTORNEYS April 19, 1966 R. L. STEFANO ETAL 3,245,554

PUNCHING APPARATUS WITH WORK ORIENTING MEANS Filed March 2, 1964 N OE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ROCCO L. STEFANO RALPH L. WEISBECK JOSEPH W. SHINGLER ATTORN EYS April 1966 R. L. STEFANO ETAL 3,246,554

PUNCHING APPARATUS WITH WORK ORIENTING MEANS Filed March 2, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS FIG 6 ROCCO STEFANO RALPH L. WEISBECK BY JOSEPH w. SHINGLER ATTORNEYS 3,246,554 PUNCHING APPARATUS WITH WORK ORIENTING MEANS Rocco L. Stefano, Williamsville, Ralph L. Weisbeck,

Cheektowaga, and Joseph W. Shingler, North Tonawanda, N .Y., assignors to Punch Products Corporation,

Buffalo, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 348,518 14 Claims. (Cl. 83-410) This invention relates to punching apparatus and more specifically to improved punching apparatus having duplicating means.

Perforating sheet metal has long been carried out between the bed and ram of a press by utilizing a selected number of punch and die holders within the throat of the press between the bed and ram thereof. Each punch and die holder comprises a generally C-shaped frame carrying a punching unit in the upper arm of the frame and a cooperative die in the lower arm of the frame, all of which shall sometimes hereinafter collectively be referred to as a unitary holder.

Duplicating devices per se are well known in the art. However, there are substantial disadvantages of known duplicating devices. One known variety is removably detachable to a press. With this construction, it is extremely difficult to maintain proper alignment necessary between the duplicating device and the punch carried on the press due to the vibrations. The disadvantages of this type of construction gave rise to the second type of known duplicating devices comprising a complete ensemble including the ram, bed, punch, die and duplicator means. This latter arrangement is an expensive construction not versatile in use. A duplicating device requires an enlarged table because of having the master templet mounted thereon, and with the latter construction, the enlarged table and duplicatorare not removable for use with other presses; This construction requires a large floor space continuously devoted to a duplicator which is suitable for use with only the integral press.

'It is a significant object of our invention to provide an improved punching apparatus construction including a duplicating device which overcomes the disadvantages of known devices of this nature.

It is another significant object of our invention to provide an improved punching apparatus including an improved duplicator which is suitable for use within the throat of a press of a variety of presses.

Another important object of our invention is to provide a punching apparatus of the above described nature which has no problem of alignment of the punch with respect to the master templet.

It is another important object of our invention to provide .a perforating and duplicating device having increased utility.

'It is a further object of our invention to provide a duplicating device which requires minimal floor space.

. Other objects and advantages of this invention will be particularly set forth in the claims and will be apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top planar view of one embodiment of our invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the FIG. 1 embodiment of our invention with par-ts broken away and insection;

FIG. 3 is a right-hand end elevational view of the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 4is an enlarged partial view of the FIG. 1 embodirnent takenfalong the lines 44 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

United States Patent "ice FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial view of the FIG. 1 em- I bodiment taken along the lines 55 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows with parts broken away; and

FIG. 6 is a partially sectional view of a portion of FIG. 5 taken along the line 66 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

With reference to the figures, our punching apparatus comprises a table having a base 10, of generally rectangular parallelepiped configuration, rigidly carrying a tabletop generally indicated by the numeral 12, preferably of cast iron or steel. The tabletop comprises a right-hand elongated rectangular larger portion 14 and a left-hand rectangular smaller or shorter portion 16.

Smaller table portion 16 extends laterally from the left hand edge of the table base as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The smaller portion 16 is forwardly or laterally ofiset from the forward edge of larger portion '14 as illustrated in FIG. 1 where indicated by the arrows and numerals 18. This offset 18 permits recessing of the structure mounted on the forward edge of the larger portion 14, which structure will be described-below, thereby providing a substantially flush forward edge along the entire length of the tabletop.

As shown in FIG. 2, an upper surface 20 of the smaller tabletop portion 16 is elevated above an upper surface 22 of the larger tabletop portion 14 by an amount corresponding substantially to the thickness of a master templet and a horizontal flange 116 of the duplicator carriage described hereinafter and illustrated in broken line at 24, so that the top of the smaller tabletop portion 16 is substantially level with the top of the ternplet when gripped between a clamp and a horizontal flange 116 (FIG. 5) described more in detail hereinafter. The master templet 24 isthe pattern for the perforations to be provided in a workpiece shown in broken line in FIG. 1 at 2-6. A tapered facing piece 28 having a downward sloping portion 30 is provided transversely of the table top at the juncture of the smaller tabletop portion 16 and the larger tabletop portion '14, thereby providing two sliding surfaces between the tabletop portions 14 and 16 to prevent any binding of the workpiece 26 as it is moved from the larger tabletop portion 14 to the smaller tabletop portion 16.

The larger tabletop portion 14 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending circular in cross section side rails or shafts 31 and 32 rigidly spaced along opposite sides of the larger tabletop portion 14 by a plurality of spacer blocks 34 rigidly mounted, as for example, by bolts 36 (FIG. 4) to the lower surface of the larger tabletop portion 14. Side rails 31 and 32 slidably carry a duplicating device, generally indicated by the numeral 38, the details of which will be described hereinafter.

The smaller tabletop portion 16 is provided with a recessed slot or groove 40 slidably receiving a unitary punching or perforating device or unit generally indicated by the numeral 42. The perforating unit 42 comprises a lower base or arm 44 of rectangular configuration which slides transversely of the tabletop within the slot 40 and is releasably lockable in selected positions transversely of the tabletop by an eccentric cam locking arrangement (not shown) including an actuating handle 46 in a known manner. The punching unit 42 includes an upper arm 47 rigidly secured at the rear of the lower base 44 and in spaced relationship thereto in the customary manner to provide an open throat portion 48 extending the greater length of the upper arm 47 to receive the workpiece 26 as it is being perforated.

The upper arm 47 is provided with a vertical bore (not shown) slidably receiving a tubular stripping and punch guiding sleeve 50 which in turn slidably receives a punch 52 internally thereof. In the usual manner, a stripper Patented Apr. 19, 1966 spring 54 is interposed between the stripping sleeve 50 and head of the punch 52 and a leaf lifter spring 56 is interposed between the upper arm 47 and the stripping sleeve 50 for lifting the sleeve 51), punch 52 and spring 54 from the workpiece after stripping the punch 52 by the stripper spring 54. Leaf lifter spring 56 is rigidly secured at its right-hand end, as it is viewed in FIG. 3, to the upper surface of the upper arm 47, as for example, by a pair of threaded bolts 58.

There is a die 61) (FIG. 2) removably mounted in a bore 61 extending vertically through the lower base 44 of the punching unit 42. Die 60 is axially aligned and coactive with the punch 52 to perforate the workpiece 26 when the punch 52 is actuated by a press ram (not shown) mounted axially above. The ram (not shown) is mounted in and controlled by a press shown in broken line at 63. It will be understood that by releasing the handle 46, the slidable unitary punching unit 42 may be slid by the operator between operative and inoperative positions relative to the ram (not shown) of the press 63, thereby permitting convenient replacement of the punch 52 and die 60 in a known manner. Thus, punches and dies of the desired configuration and size may be conveniently substituted in the punching unit 42.

A significant feature of our invention is to provide means to vertically adjust the height of a lower surface 64 of the smaller laterally extending tabletop portion 16 in order that this lower surface 64 may be slidably received on an upper surface 66 of the bed 68 of the press 63. In this manner, we provide for adjustment of the tabletop so that it is suitable for use with a variety of existing presses. In order to fulfill the vertical adjustability of the tabletop, the table base 18 is provided with four legs 70 each of which has an internal vertically extending threaded bore 72 (FIG. 2) receiving an adjustable threaded leg stud 74. Preferably, the smaller tabletop portion 16 is rigidly mounted to the press 63 in any suitable manner, as for example, by bolts 75 and 76 (FIGS. 1 and 2) threadedly received in tapped holes provided in the press table. Preferably, a clearance 77 is thereby maintained between the adjacent vertical faces of the table base 10 and press 63.

We shall now describe the duplicator portion of our punching apparatus with particular reference to FIGS. 1, 46 inclusive. The duplicator 38 has a pair of side mountings 78 and 79 slidably mounted on side rails 31 and 32 respectively. Our duplicator 38 is provided with a bridge or plate 80 extending between and rigidly mounted to the side mountings 78 and 79 by bolts 81 (FIG. 4). Each of the mountings 78 and 79 are provided with bearings 82 (FIG. 4) slidably embracing the side rails 31 and 32. The duplicator mounting 78 is provided with a screw type clamp element 84 (FIG. which passes through a clearance ho-le 78A of plate 80 and is threadedly received in a threaded bore of mounting 78 for locking of the mounting and in turn the entire duplicator 38 in selected adjusted positions longitudinally of the side rails 31 and 32.

A pair of right-angle brackets 86 (FIGS. 1 and 5) are rigidly mounted on the top of plate 80. Brackets 86 rigidly support a circular in cross section transverse rail 88. A main duplicator carriage 90 has a transverse horizontal bore 92 in which is fitted a bearing 94 slidably embracing the transverse rail 88, thereby to permit transverse sliding motion of the duplicator carriage 90 along the rail 88. Carriage 90 threadedly receives a threaded clamping bolt 96 adapted to engage the transverse rail 88 for locking the duplicator carriage 90 and attached parts hereinafter described in selected positions along the transverse rail 88. The carriage 90 has -a generally horizontally disposed flange 97 having a portion 98 extending downwardly to the left, as viewed in FIG. 5, and making an oblique angle with the horizontal portion 97. Flange 97-98 extends substantially the full length of the carriage 941, thereby to permit maximum travel of the carriage along the transverse rail 88. The transverse rail 88 is provided with enlarged stop ends or heads 100 at opposite ends thereof to limit the extent of travel of the carriage 90. Likewise, one of the longitudinally extending rails 32 is provided with enlarged stop ends 101 at opposite ends thereof to limit the extent of longitudinal travel of the entire duplicator 38.

The duplicator carriage 90 has a horizontally protruding lower front end flange portion 102 carrying a pair of clamping assemblies or clamping means generally indicated by the numeral 104 adjustable transversely of the carriage 90 by means of, for example, a dovetail connection 106 or a T-bolt 109 and T-slot connection 108. The T-bolt 189 is threadedly received through a vertical threaded bore in a clamp housing 114 for locking each clamp assembly 104 in selected positions transversely of the carriage 90. It will be understood that although we have shown both a dovetail connection between the flange portion 102 and the clamp assemblies 104 and a T-slot connection 108, only one of these in the alternative in combination with a locking bolt 109 is necessary in order to provide the selective transverse adjustment of the clamping assemblies 104. The clamping assemblies 104 each carry a clamp element 118 pivotally mounted at 112 in a vertical slot 111 (FIG. 1) of a clamp housing 114. The clamp housing 114 has a horizontally extending flange 116 at the lower forward edge thereof cooperative with the clamp element to provide a vise-gripping arrangement for locking the workpiece 26 to the carriage 90. Locking adjustment of the clamp element 118 is controlled by a threaded locking bolt 118 threadedly received through clamp element 110 and abuts a block 120 mounted at 121 within a vertically extending hole 123, of the clamp housing 114, which communicates with the slot 111.

A locator alignment plate 122 rigidly mounted, as for example, by bolts 124 to the duplicator carriage 99 provides alignment for the upper edge as viewed in FIG. 1 of the workpiece 26.

It will be understood that the workpiece 26 is first aligned by the locator plate 122 and the left-hand or forward edges 125 of the clamp assemblies 104 and is then clamped into position by the clamp assemblies 104 and thereafter moved selectively with the duplicator carriage 90.

The larger tabletop portion 14 carries a plurality of locating pins 126 (FIGS. 1 and 4) positioned to align two edges of the master templet 24 in order to properly orient the master templet relative to the unitary punching unit 42 so that the duplicator 38 effectively duplicates the selected pattern of holes of the master templet 24 onto the workpiece in a manner described in detail hereinafter as the punch 52 is depressed by the ram of the press 63.

A plurality of vertical threaded bores 128 on the larger portion tabletop 14 are adapted to receive bolts for rigidly securing a clamping device (not shown) along the edges of the master templet 24 thereby to hold it in the illustrated position.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, we shall now describe the structure by which the duplicator is properly positioned and in turn the workpiece 26 relative to holes in the master templet 24 so the selected pattern of holes will be perforated in the workpiece 26 from the pattern existing on the master templet 24. The duplicator carriage 98, as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 has a right-hand protruding portion 138 provided with a vertical bore 132 receiving a vertically extending guide sleeve 134 rigidly secured therein by a set screw 136 (FIG. 6). Guide sleeve 134 is provided with an axial bore of three different diameters 138, 139, and 140. The smallest diameter portion 138 slidably receives a locating element 142, the upper end of which is threaded into a finger operated actuator 144 in which it is rigidly secured by a set screw 146.

A compression spring 148 received in the intermediate size bore 139 rests on a shouldered portion surrounding the smaller bore, 138. The lower surface of the, actuator 144 rests on the upper surface of the spring '148 which resiliently returns the actuator 144 and the locating element 142 to the elevated or inactive position shown in FIG. 5. By the threaded arrangement between the locating element 142 and the manual actuator 144, the locating element 142 may be threadedly adjusted and locked in the adjusted position by the set screw 146 depending upon the thickness of the master templet 24.

In the inoperative position, the locating element 142 slides over or just above the surface of the master templet 24 and is manually pushed downward into selected pattern holes 154 (FIG. 6) of the master templet 24 thereby properly locating the workpiece 26, carried by the duplicator 38, relative to the punch 52. After the locating element 142 has, in the manner described above, properly oriented the workpiece relative to the .punch 52, the ram of the press 63 is actuated and in turn the punch 52 to perforate the workpiece. We have illustrated an automatic device whereby a horizontally disposed arm 150 rigidly carried by the manual actuator 144 actuates a micro-switch 152 when the locator element 142 is depressed to the operative position illustrated in FIG. 6 in which position the lower end of the locator element engages the tabletop portion 14. The microswitch, through a circuit including a lead line 156, automatically actuates the ram of the press 63.

The microswitch 152 is rigidly mounted on a plate 153 adjustably mounted, for example, by a slot 155 and adjustment screws 157, onto the horizontal protrusion 130 of the duplicator carriage 90. Thus, we provide a vertical adjustment of the microswitch 152 in order to compensate for adjustment of the locating element 142 relative to the thickness of the master templet 24. Also, the upper limit of the locating element is adjustably determined by a bolt 151 threadedly received within a tapped hole in a right-angle cover 151A rigidly secured to horizontal protrusion 130.

It will be understood that while the workpiece perforations are to be of various shapes and sizes of holes that the master templet 24 is provided only with pattern holes 154 of substantially the same diameter as the smaller end of the locating element 142. The master templet-s 24, which may have a plurality of selected patterns, are prepared from engineering drawings. Our device facilitates the ease with which such master templets may be manufactured by method and apparatus we shall now describe.

A rule 158 (FIG. 1) is rigidly mounted longitudinally along the front of .the tabletop portion 14 and rigidly mounted on the plate or bridge 80 and transversely of the tabletop is another rule 160 by which longitudinal and transverse measurements respectively may be determined. Indicators 162 and 164 rigidly mounted respectively on duplicator mounting 78 and the duplicator carriage 90 provide measurement readings. The extent of travel of carriage 90 to the right as viewed in FIG. 1 is adjustably limited by an adjustment screw 161 threadedly extending through a tapped hole of a block 163 rigidly mounted on plate 80. The free end of adjustment screw 161 engages a vertical abutment surface 165 formed on carriage 90, thereby limiting the travel of locating element 142 to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, in order to prevent the locating element from being carried past the right-hand edge of the templet 24.

In addition to the rules 158 and 160, we provide a pair of dial indicators 170 and 172, well known per se, by which accuracy within .001 of an inch may be measured longitudinally and transversely of the tabletop 14. The dials 170 and 172 are directly responsive to linear movement of the duplicator 38 longitudinally along the side rails 31 and transversely of the transverse rails 88 respectively. Each of the dial indicators are provided 6. with dial return knobs 174 and 176 respectively which automatically return the dials 170 and 172 to, 0.

It will be understood that by our apparatus we are able to produce master templets by reading measurements from an engineering drawing, transcribing them into a reading on the rules 158 and 160 in combination with the dials and 172, thereby to position the duplicator 38 and in turn a master templet which will be carried in the same manner as the illustrated workpiece 26. Thus, perforating the master templet to provide a pattern for perforating workpieces in this manner eliminates the present practice of engineering the layout, scribing the pattern on the templet and thereafter drilling or jig-boring.

While we have shown and described the preferred form of mechanism of our invention it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made therein, particularly in the form and relation of parts, without departing from the spirit of our invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claimz' 1. Perforating apparatus for use in the throat between the bed and ram of a press comprising: a table having a top adapted to be removably received within said throat; a unitary punch and die holder having a throat adapted to receive a workpiece for perforating, said holder being located on said table top in an operative position under a ram when the tabletop is received within said press throat; and duplicating means carried on said tabletop for moving the workpiece to selected positions between the punch and die.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including means for sliding said holder on said tabletop between operative and inoperative positions relative to said ram.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including means for releasably interlocking said table in an operative position with said press.

-4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including means for adjusting the height of the tabletop thereby adapting it for use with various suitable presses.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim '1 including means for sliding said holder transversely of said tabletop between operative and inoperative positions relative to said ram.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said table top has a laterally offset portion, said offset portion being forwardly offset from a forward edge of the tabletop portion over which the duplicating means moves.

7. Perforating apparatus for use in the throat between the bed and ram of a press comprising: a table having a top with a laterally extending portion adapted to be removably received within said throat; a unitary punch and die holder having a throat adapted to receive a workpiece for perforating, said holder being located on said table top in an operative position under a ram when the tabletop is received within said press throat; and duplicating means carried on said tabletop for moving the workpiece to selected positions between the punch and die.

8. Perforating apparatus for use in the throat between the bed and ram of a press comprising: a table having a top with a laterally extending portion terminating in a free end adapted to be slidably received within said throat, said tabletop having a portion supported on a table base; a unitary punch and die holder having a throat adapted to receive a workpiece for perforating, said holder being located on said tabletop in an operative position under a ram when the tabletop is received within said press throat; and duplicating means carried on said tabletop supported portion for moving the workpiece to selected positions between the punch and die.

9. Perforating apparatus for use in the throat between the bed and ram of a press comprising: a table having a top adapted to be removably received within said throat;

a unitary punch and die holder having a throat adapted to receive a workpiece for perforating; said table having a base adapted to be positioned-adjacent a suitable press to orient said holder in an operative position under said ram when the tabletop is received within said press throat; and duplicating means carried on said table top for moving the workpiece to selected positions between the'punch and die. I

10. Perforating apparatus for use in the throat between the bed and ram of a press comprising: a table having a top adapted to be slidably received within said throat between operative and inoperative positions relative to said ram; a unitary punch and die holder having a throat adapted to receive a workpiece for perforating; said holder being located on said tabletop in an operative position under a ram when the tabletop is received within said press throat; and duplicating means carried on said tabletop for moving the workpiece to selected positions between the punch and die.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 including means for sliding said holder transversely of said table- 8 top between operative and inoperative positions relative to said ram.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 including means for releasably interlocking said table in an operative position with said press.

13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 including means for adjusting the height of the tabletop thereby adapting it for use with various suitable presses.

14. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 in which said tabletop has a laterally offset portion, said offset portion being forwardly oifset from a forward edge of the tabletop portion over which the duplicating means moves.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 895,944 8/1908 Bernard 83-413 931,431 8/1909 Kilgore 83-413 X 2,163,641 6/1939 Wales 8356O X 2,730,173 1/1956 Brescka 83565 X 2,918,835 12/1959 Watson et al. 83413 X WILLIAM W. DYER, 111., Primary Examiner. 

1. PERFORATING APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE THROAT BETWEEN THE BED AND RAM OF A PRESS COMPRISING: A TABLE HAVING A TOP ADAPTED TO BE REMOVABLY RECEIVED WITHIN SAID THROAT; A UNITARY PUNCH AND DIE HOLDER HAVING A THROAT ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A WORKPIECE FOR PERFORATING, SAID HOLDER BEING LOCATED ON SAID TABLE TOP IN AN OPERATIVE POSITION UNDER 